Making sure your Xbox digital subscription is valid for your country

Important changes for Xbox Live customers who purchase digital codes from the Microsoft Store or other third-party resellers:

To ensure that pricing for the Xbox Live Gold subscription service reflects the local market economies, all Xbox Live Gold subscription cards will now only be redeemable in the country purchased and cannot be redeemed in any other country.

If you’re purchasing an Xbox Live Gold subscription card online, we strongly recommend that you purchase the card from the country that you live in to avoid potential issues. This includes purchases from third-party online resellers who advertise lower-priced codes than retail value.

Why is Xbox only allowing customers to redeem Xbox Live Gold subscription codes within each country?

Country-specific Gold subscription cards allow us to ensure that the Xbox Live Gold service reflects the local market economy in which the Xbox Live Gold subscription was purchased and redeemed.

For example, offering Brazil-only Xbox Live Gold subscriptions allows us to decrease the price of the 12-month subscription in Brazil and ensure that the service reflects the Brazil market economy.

How can I tell if I’m buying a code for a specific country?

We encourage you to check the terms and conditions in the product packaging and the online retailer Xbox Live Gold product pages, which indicate if the code is redeemable in your country. You can also check with your local retailer.

If the price for Xbox Live Gold seems too good to be true, check the product description or contact the online seller to make sure you’re buying a code that works in your country.

If I don’t live in the country for which the code was designated, what happens if I redeem the code?

You’ll receive an error message stating that the code is not redeemable in your country.

We encourage you to check the terms and conditions in the product packaging and the online retailer Xbox Live Gold product pages, which indicate if the code is redeemable in your country. You can also check with your local retailer.

If the code I purchased doesn’t work, how do I get a refund or replacement code?

If you encounter an error message stating that the code is not redeemable in your country, contact the local or online retailer from whom you made the purchase to obtain a correct subscription card. Refund/replacement policies may vary by retailer.

Are Xbox gift cards affected by this change?

There are currently no changes to Xbox gift cards. If you purchase an Xbox gift card, you’ll continue to only be able to purchase content in the local currency denomination of the card.

For example, if you purchase an Xbox gift card in the United States and redeem it, you’ll only be able to spend that amount in the US marketplace.